Hat-holder



(Model.)

S. E. BROWNING.

HAT HOLDER. n Patented Jan. 31,1882.

.1 runs NITE' STATES ATENT OFFICE.

HAT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,925, dated January 31, 1882 Application filed September 12, 1831. Mona To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SARAH E. BROWNING, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in HatHolders, of which the following is a specification.

Stands have been made for holding hats in show-cases and windows. Such stands have sometimes been provided with springs that spread the pads or fingers that support-the hat or bonnet. In instances where spring-fingers are employed they sometimes distort the hat or bonnet by spreading the same in one direction, and consequently rendering the hat narrower in the other direction. Where rigid fingers or supports are employed the hat is loose on the stand and becomes misplaced by moving the stand and hat.

My invention is for holding the hat in the desired position with sufficient firmness to allow of the stand and hat being moved about without the hat becoming misplaced'on the stand, and at the same time thesupportingpads upon the stand do not bend the hat or bonnet out of shape.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the stand and hat-holder, the column of the stand being partiallyin section; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hat-holder. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the stock and its shank, separately, at a right angle to Fig. 1.

The base aof the stand is preferably of castiro'n, so as to be sufiiciently heavy. Above this base there is avertical rod,b, passing at its lower end into the base and securely tastened. The tube 0 is outside of this rod 1) and capable of being moved up or down upon the rod and clamped by a screw, d. These parts I) and 0 form the column or support for the hatholder, and they allow for raising or lowering the hat-holder and hat or bonnet.

The hat-holder is made of the arms cf, that are pivoted togetherand to the stock g at t', and the upper ends of the arms 0 f terminate with one or more fingers having pads h on their ends. These arms are adapted to set inside the hat or bonnet, and the hinge at t'allows of these arms being spread moreor less to suit; the size and shape of the inside of the hat or bonnet, and pressing slightly on the same sutficiently to hold such hat or bonnet in the desired position. The fingers .or devices that are at the ends of the arms and press against the inside of the hat or bonnet may be more or less round ing or in any other suitable form. These arms of may be spread by the action of a spring and drawn together by a screw, a cam, or a band; but I prefer to use the right and left handed screws or cam-volutesn, that act upon the lower ends or toes of the respective arms c andfto spread or contract the arms at their upper ends. These screws or volutes are fastened upon-a short shaft passing through the stock g, so that they revolve together when turned. The-stock g hasa circular shank, g, 6 that passes into the upper end of the column 0, and it can turn freely therein, so that the hat-holder and hat can be revolved independently of the stand a l) c, and a screw. 8, is provided, the inner end of which, enteringa groove or neck around the shank, prevents the hatholdcr stock becoming separated accidentally in handling the stand or bonnet.

The stock 9, it is to be understood, is apiece ofmetal that has a cylindrici'tl shank, g, a its lower end to pass into the tubular column a, and it has a shoulder resting upon the upper end of such column, and the part of the stock between the volutes n is flattened, and the upper endot the stock terminates as one leaf of 8o the hinge t".

This hat-holder is very convenient for milliners, because the hat can be displayed to advantage without being handled.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a hatholder, the combination, with the supporting-column, of two arms extending upwardly and terminating with pads, a stock to which the lower ends of the-arms are connected, and mechanism, substantially as specified, go for spreading or contrac'ing such arms and holding them, as set forth.

2. In a hat-holder, the arms cf, provided with pads at their outer ends, and the stock g, to which the arms are pivoted, in combination 5 with the screws it, having right and left hand threads, substantially as specified.-

3. The combination, with the base a and rod 1), of the tubular standard 0, clamping-screw d, pivoted arms of,adjusting-screws a, stock 9, too and shank g, the latter entering the upper end of the tube 0, as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 5th day of September, A.

' SARAH E. BROWNING. Witnesses: A

SUsAN E. FULLER, N ANNIE E. OOFFIN. 

